Over drawer head support

ABSTRACT

A support assembly fitting over a drawer head for removably securing a typewriter table or other furniture extension to an existing desk or other furniture unit without modification of the desk such that the table extends from the drawer area of the desk. The assembly includes in combination an angled support bracket suspended from a drawer head and secured at spaced points to the desk frame and to the drawer head by an integral restraining flange and a separate clamping bracket respectively. The clamping bracket is secured to the handle on the drawer head, which handle may be of either the protruding or recessed type.

United States Patent [19] Armstrong et a1.

[ OVER DRAWER HEAD SUPPORT [75] Inventors: Michael .1. Armstrong; Richard L.

Houtman, both of Grand Rapids, Mich.

[731 Assignee: Steelcase, Inc., Grand Rapids, Mich. [221 Filed: Aug. 3, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 277,681

[52] US. Cl. 108/98 [51] Int. Cl A47b 57/00 [58] Field of Search 108/97, 101, 92, 152, 69,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,324,247 7/1943 Ullman 312/208 2,531,381 11/1950 Abrahamson 312/281 2,588,844 3/1952 Jones et a1. 312/208 2,614,011 10/1952 Abrahamson 312/208 2,906,574 9/1959 Bullock 108/69 2,940,804 6/1960 Bullock.... 108/97 X 3,003,786 10/1961 Liston 108/44 3,140,135 7/1964 Stohlberg 312/208 11] 3,842,758 1 1 Oct. 22, 1974 Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Price, Heneveld, Huizenga & Cooper 1 1 ABSTRACT A support assembly fitting over a drawer head for removably securing a typewriter table or other furniture extension to an existing desk or other furniture unit without modification of the desk such that the table extends from the drawer area of the desk. The assembly includes in combination an angled support bracket suspended from a drawer head and secured at spaced points to the desk frame and to the drawer head by an integral restraining flange and. a separate clamping bracket respectively. The clamping bracket is secured to the handle on the drawer head, which handle may be of either the protruding or recessed type.

18-Claims, 7 Drawing Figures OVER DRAWER HEAD SUPPORT This invention relates to support apparatus for securing furniture extensions or additions to existing furniture pieces. More particularly, the invention relates to a support assembly for removably securing an extension member to an existing piece of furniture including a drawer and drawer head.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It has long been common in office furniture design to attach additional members or units along the side of a desk or other piece of furniture in order to provide additional conveniently located working space. Thus, in designing secretarial office furniture, an additional typewriter table is often added to existing desk designs by securing that table to a portion of the desk. In certain of the previous designs, the addition has been accomplished by providing a desk having an exposed frame member to which several additional attaching structures are directly bolted. Often the exposed frame member to which the addition is attached is found along the side of the desk thereby requiring the table to be added along that side. Although this arrangement may be adequate when there is sufficient floor space to allow such an addition, the extra width produced is undesirable when secretarial floor space is limited. It also suffers the drawback of being a somewhat complicated attaching system.

Other of the previous designs have proposed adding typewriter table additions and other furniture extensions directly to the drawer areas of an existing desk. Certain of these designs have utilized supports hung from the top edge of one drawer head. The typewriter addition is then directly bolted to a portion of the suspended support. However, although this arrangement accomplishes the desired space-saving result, the typewriter table tends to wobble, vibrate, and otherwise be inadequately mounted. Therefore, the previously known apparatuses for securing additions to desks and other furniture pieces have either required too much space for all applications, been too complicated, or have been structurally undesirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the purpose of this invention is to provide an over drawer head support apparatus which is removably fastened over the upper edge of'the drawer head and securely retained and clamped in that position by a unique arrangement which engages a handle on the drawer head. No structural modification of the existing desk or furniture piece is required.

In accordance with this purpose, the invention provides an over drawer head support assembly including in combination a support means adapted to hang from the top edge of a drawer head, which support means is securely held in position on the drawer head by a clamping means. In the preferred embodiment, the support includes a restraining means for engaging the desk which cooperates with the clamping means to prevent opening of the drawer. A vertically extending restraining flange, an integral part of the support means, is adapted to engage a portion of the desk frame or other drawer support means behind the drawer'head. This prevents opening or wobbling of the drawer when the support is clamped to the drawer handle. The over drawer head support also includes a channel flange extending from its lower edge, which channel flange includes a reinforcing member and securing means passing through both the channel flange and reinforcing member for securely affixing a typewriter table or other furniture addition to the existing furniture piece.

The clamping means comprises a dual-purpose clamping bracket. The clamping bracket includes two recessed contoured sections adapted to correspond to the shape of a protruding handle mounted on the drawer head and a flange extending at right angles from the main portion of the clamping bracket for engaging the interior portion of a recessed handle in the drawer head. Thus, the dual purpose clamping bracket may be utilized with drawer heads including either protruding handles or recessed handles.

The apparatus thus comprises a quick and convenient means for securely attaching an additional typewriter table or other furniture extension unit to an existing furniture piece including at least one drawer and drawer head. The invention is advantageous not only since it is'easily mounted on a drawer head without modification to the desk or furniture piece but also because it is securely retained in place on the drawer head and because the drawer is secured against wobbling by cooperation of the restraining means and the dualpurpose clamping bracket.

These and other purposes, objects,'advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following description taken in conjunction with the appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS- FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view showing the over drawer head assembly mounted on a typical desk and supporting and securing a typical typewriter table thereto;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the over drawer head support assembly mounted on a desk having a protruding handle taken alone plane IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the over drawer head support bracket forming a part of the assembly shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the support bracket shown in FIG. 3; 2

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view similar to that shown in FIG. 2 but showing the over drawer head support assembly mounted on a desk including a recessed handle;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the clamping means forming a part of the assembly shown in FIG. 2 as mounted on a protruding drawer handle; and

FIG. 7 is a crosssectional view taken along plane VIIVII of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the preferred embodiment, the over drawer head support assembly 25 includes a support bracket 26 for hanging over a drawer head 18 of a drawer 12 in desk 10 (FIGS. 1 and 2). Restraining flange 36 of bracket 26 hooks behind a portion of frame member 16 of desk 10. Clamp is used to clamp bracket 26 to protruding drawer handle 28 (FIG. 2) or to recessed drawer handle 29 (FIG. 5) to secure bracket 26 against movement with respect to drawer head 18 and to lock restraining flange 36 in position behind frame member 16. This locking action prevents movement of drawer 12. Typewriter side table 14 isthen secured to bracket 26 by securing means 50. Support bracket 26 is manufactured by bending a metallic material, such as-sheet steel, into an angled configuration. Bracket 26 includes a vertically extending front plate member 32 which is suspended from the top edge 22 of drawer head 18 by a rearwardly extending suspension flange 34 which hooks over edge 22 (FIGS. 2 and Suspension flange 34 extends substantially horizontally rearwardly behind the front face of drawer head 18 from the upper top edge of plate member 32, jutting downwardly just enough to accommodate frame member 16 which depends from' the top of desk 10. A restraining flange 36 extends substantially vertically from suspension flange 34 into position behind a portion 23 of frame member 16. The restraining flange 36 thereby abuts and hooks behind portion 23 of frame 16 and prevents the top portion of bracket 26 from being pulled horizontally away from the front face of drawer 18, as well as preventing the movement of the entire drawer 12. Top edge 22 of drawer head 18 includes a rearwardly and downwardly sloping portion 22' which allows bracket 26 to be tipped or canted away from drawer head 18 in order to insert restraining flange 36 behind frame portion 23.

Front plate 32 extends vertically along the front face of drawer head 18 and is long enough to extend to the area immediately adjacent the top portion of a protruding handle 28, as shown in FIG. 2, or to the area in front of the opening of a recessed handle 29, as shown in FIG. 5. A centrally located portion of the front face plate 32 is cut away forming a rectangular aperture45 (FIG. 3) which allows support bracket 26 to be removably secured to a recessed handle 29 without interference with its trim piece 31 (FIG. 5).

Formed integrally along the lower bottom edge of front plate 32 is a channel 42 which includes a generally horizontally extending securing flange 43, and a generally vertically extending attaching flange 44 (FIGS. 2 and 5). Small reinforcing angles 49 are secured to channel 42 at spaced intervals for reinforcing purposes. Securing flange 43 includes threaded apertures 47 for securing clamp 60 thereto. Attaching flange 44 includes upwardly protruding tabs 48 having apertures 51 extending therethrough. Threaded apertures 51 continue on through the vertically extending portions of reinforcing members 49. Threaded bolts 52 (FIG. 2) are threaded in apertures 51 to provide a securing means 50 for securely clamping the end section of typewriter table 14 against the vertically extending front face plate 32 of bracket 26.

Clamp 60 is a dual-purpose clamp which can be used with a drawer 12 including either a protruding pull 28, as shown in FIG. 2, or a recessed pull 29, as-shown in FIG. 5. For cooperating with protruding handle 28, the generally horizontal flange 66 of clamp 60 includes two integral end channels 64 formed therein for seating over the drawer handle arms 30 which project outwardly from drawer head 18 (FIG. 7). Channels 64 preferably have a semicircular shape which, in cross section, generally corresponds to the contour of the supporting arms 30 of a protrudinghandle 28 (FIGS. 6 and 7 Horizontal flange 66 also includes fastening means for removably securing clamp 60 simultaneously to both the protruding handle 28 and support bracket 26.

The fastening means comprises apertures 69 through which threaded bolts are threaded into threaded apertures 47 in securing flange 43 (FIGS. 2 and 6). Protruding downwardly from horizontal flange 66 is a vertical flange 68, positioned such that it is immediately adjacent the cross piece 33 of handle 28. Vertical flange 68 thus acts as an abutment means to prevent horizontal movement of clamp 60. Specifically, vertical flange 68 extends downwardly from the edge of flange 66, and flange 66 is approximately equal in width to the distance of cross piece 33 from drawer head 18.

For cooperating with a recessed pull 29, as shown in FIG. 5, dual-purpose clamp 60 is reversed in orientation. Vertical flange 68 hooks into the interior of pull 29, and engages the inside edge of its trim piece 31. Horizontal flange 66 is secured to securing flange 43 in the same manner as described above. Accordingly, it is apparent that clamp 60 may be used with drawer heads 18 having either a protruding handle 28 or a recessed handle 29 without modifying or making special preparations to secure the assembly 25 to the drawer head.

Desk l0, drawer 12, and its drawer head 18 are gen-' portion 22' so that support 26 can be canted enoughto get restraining flange 36 into position behind a portion 23 of frame member 16.

With respect to desk 10, it is important that some type of internal frame member 16 be provided for receiving restraining flange 36 Typewriter table 14. is of a conventional construction and preferably, table 14 includes a vertically extending end edge 20 which'abuts vertical front plate 32 when clamped thereto from the inside by securing means 50. The abutment'of end portion 20 and face plate 32 enables the rigid, vibration-free attachment of table 14 to support 26. Further, front plate 32 is held tightly against drawer head 18, thereby making it impossible to cant support 26 with respect to drawer head .18. This holds restraining flange 36 tightly behind portion 23 of frame member 16, thereby eliminating any wobbling movement of drawer 12.

When assembled and mounted on desk 10, the over drawer head support assembly 25 is utilized as shown in either FIG. 2 or FIG. 5.-As shown in FIG. 2, support bracket 26 is suspended over the top edge/22 of a drawer head 18 by means of suspension member 34 and may be tipped slightly onto sloped portion 22' of the drawer head 18 in order to engage restraining flange 36 with frame member 16. The lower portion of bracket 26 is secured against the front face of drawer head-18 by means of clamp 60 being secured to securing flange 42. Channels 64 of clamp 60 seat on the support arms 30 of the protruding handle 28 and vertical flange 68 abuts the inside of cross piece 33 in order to further prevent horizontal movement of the clamping bracket 60. Typewriter table 14 is then securely clamped against the front face plate 32 of bracket 26 by means of the securing bolt 52 threaded in aperture 51 of reinforcing angle 49.

Of course, the over drawer head support of the present invention could be used in conjunction with a typewriter table having a conventional wooden top. In such a case, there would be no upwardly projecting flange 44 and no reinforcing angle 49 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. For attachment to a wooden top table, flange 44 would either be eliminated or would extend generally straight out, generally in the same plane as flange 43, and a wood screw would be passed through appropriate clearance apertures therein and threaded into the wooden top.

In using over drawer head assembly 25 in conjunction with a recessed handle 29, bracket 26 is suspended over drawer head 18 as described above in connection with FIG. 2 and the same dual-purpose clamp 60 is utilized to secure the lower end of bracket 26 to the interior of recessed handle 29. Vertical flange 68 is hooked into the interior of pull 29 and engages the inside edge of trim piece 31 which extends around the periphery of the opening of recessed handle 29. This hooking action prevents the horizontal movement of the clamped typewriter table 14 and support bracket 26 away from drawer head 18. When used with either type handle, vertical movement of the bracket 26 when mounted on desk is prevented by the abutment of desk front piece 17 with suspension member 34.

The over drawer head support assembly provides a secure and easily mountable removable support means for attaching a furniture extension, such as a typewriter table, flush with the vertical face of a drawer head on various typesof furniture units. The addition of the furniture extension is accomplished in a spacesaving manner without modification of the existing desk and without providing a special protruding frame member or other area to which the table or addition must be bolted. Further, the assembly may be utilized with various types of drawers and drawer heads without providing different apparatus for each type of drawer head.

While one form of the invention has been shown and described, other forms will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. The invention could be used in conjunction with a door having a protruding or recessed pull. Therefore, it will be understood that the embodiment shown in the drawings and described above is merely for illustrative purposes, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is defined by the claims which follow.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows.

1. An over drawer head support for joining a typewriter table or the like to a desk or the like having at least one drawer or the like, said support comprising:

a bracket including suspension means for suspending said support over a drawer head of a drawer;

clamping means operably connected to said bracket at a point spaced from said suspension means and adjacent a drawer handle on said drawer and including means cooperating with said drawer handle for securing said support thereto whereby said support is tightly clamped to said drawer; and attaching means on one of said bracket and said clamping means for attaching a table to said support.

2. The support of claim 1 comprising: said attaching means being defined by said bracket; said clamping means and said bracket including cooperating means cooperating to releasably secure said clamping means to said bracket, said cooperating means on said bracket being positioned adjacent a handle of said drawer.

3. The support of claim 2 comprising: said clamping means including spaced channels therein for embracing the support arms of a protruding drawer pull.

4. The support of claim 3 comprising:

said clamping means including a flange positioned in abutment with the cross piece of a projecting pull when said clamping means is secured to a projecting pull; said clamping means adapted to be reversibly secured to said bracket whereby said flange will project into the recess of a recessed drawer handle and engage an inner face thereof so that said support can be'used in conjunction with either a recessed handle or a projectinghandle.

5. The support of claim 4 in which said bracket includes an upwardly projecting restraining flange joined to said suspension means at a point behind said drawer head, forengaging an inner member of said desk and prevent movement of said drawer or the like once said bracket is clamped to said handle by said clamping means.

6. The support of claim 2 comprising:

said clamping means including a flange projecting therefrom which will project into the recess of a recessed drawer handle and engage an inner face thereof whereby said support can be clamped to a recessed drawer handle.

7. The support of claim 1 in which said support includes an upwardly projecting restraining flange joined to said suspension means at a point behind said drawer head, forengaging an inner member of said desk and prevent movement of said drawer once said support is clamped to said drawer by said clamping means.

8. The support of claim 1 comprising: said clamping means including spaced channels for embracing the support arms of a projecting handle whereby said support can be secured to a projecting handle; said clamping means also including a flange projecting therefrom which can be hooked into a recessed drawer pull into position behind an inner face of said recessed drawer pull whereby said support can be reduced to a recessed drawer pull.

9. The support of claim 8 in which said flange is positioned at one edge of said clamping means; said clamping means having a width from said one edge approximately equal to the length of said supporting arms of a projecting drawer handle whereby said flange abuts the cross piece of said drawer handle when said clamp is secured to a projecting drawer handle and thereby prevents movement of said clamp with respect to said hanclle.

10. The support of claim 1 comprising:

said suspension means on said support comprising a suspension flange on said bracket for hooking over the top of the drawer head on said bracket; a front face projecting downwardly therefrom and an outwardly projecting securing flange positioned generally adjacent the handle on said drawer;

said clamping means comprising a clamp including means cooperating with said securing flange for securing said clamp to said bracket to positively clamp said bracket to said drawer.

11. The support of claim 10 comprising:

said clamping means including spaced channels therein for embracing the support arms of a protruding drawer pull.

12. The support of claim 11 comprising:

said clamping means including a flange positioned in abutment with the cross piece of a projecting pull when said clamping means is secured to a projecting pull; said clamping means adapted to be reversibly secured to said bracket whereby said flange will project into the recess of a recessed drawer handle and engage an inner face thereof so that said support can be used in conjunction with either a recessed handle or a projecting handle.

13. The support of claim 12 in which said front face includes an aperture therein of such dimensions that said aperture fits generally around a trim piece defining the perimeter of a recessed drawer handle whereby said front face does not interfere with said trim piece when said bracket is secured to a recessed drawer handle.

14. The support of claim 13 in which said bracket includes an upwardly projecting restraining flange joined to said suspension means at a point behind said drawer head, for engaging an inner member of said desk and prevent movement of said drawer once said bracket is v clamped to said handle by said clamping means.

15. The support of claim 14 in which said attachment means comprises an attachment flange projecting upwardly from said securing flange at a point speced from said front face.

16. The support of claim 15 in which said attachment flange includes a threaded aperture therein; a bolt mounted in said threaded aperture for clamping against the inside edge of a table and thereby clamping said table against said front face of said bracket.

17. The support of claim 10 comprising:

said clamping means including a flange projecting therefrom which will project into the recess of a recessed drawer handle and engage an inner face thereof whereby said support can be clamped to a recessed drawer handle.

18. The support of claim 10 in which said support includes an upwardly projecting restraining flange joined to said suspension means at a point behind said drawer head, for engaging an inner member of said desk and prevent movement of said drawer once said support is clamped to said handle by said clamping means. 

1. An over drawer head support for joining a typewriter table or the like to a desk or the like having at least one drawer or the like, said support comprising: a bracket including suspension means for suspending said support over a drawer head of a drawer; clamping means operably connected to said bracket at a point spaced from said suspension means and adjacent a drawer handle on said drawer and including means cooperating with said drawer handle for securing said support thereto whereby said support is tightly clamped to said drawer; and attaching means on one of said bracket and said clamping means for attaching a table to said support.
 2. The support of claim 1 comprising: said attaching means being defined by said bracket; said clamping means and said bracket including cooperating means cooperating to releasably secure said clamping means to said bracket, said cooperating means on said bracket being positioned adjacent a handle of said drawer.
 3. The support of claim 2 comprising: said clamping means including spaced channels therein for embracing the support arms of a protruding drawer pull.
 4. The support of claim 3 comprising: said clamping means including a flange positioned in abutment with the cross piece of a projecting pull when said clamping means is secured to a projecting pull; said clamping means adapted to be reversibly secured to said bracket whereby said flange will project into the recess of a recessed drawer handle and engage an inner face thereof so that said support can be used in conjunction with either a recessed handle or a projecting handle.
 5. The support of claim 4 in which said bracket includes an upwardly projecting restraining flange joined to said suspension means at a point behind said drawer head, for engaging an inner member of said desk and prevent movement of said drawer or the like once said bracket is clamped to said handle by said clamping means.
 6. The support of claim 2 comprising: said clamping means including a flange projecting therefrom which will project into the recess of a recessed drawer handle and engage an inner face thereof whereby said support can be clamped to a recessed drawer handle.
 7. The support of claim 1 in which said support includes an upwardly projecting restraining flange joined to said suspension means at a point behind said drawer head, for engaging an inner member of said desk and prevent movement of said drawer once said support is clamped to said drawer by said clamping means.
 8. The support of claim 1 comprising: said clamping means including spaced channels for embracing the support arms of a projecting handle whereby said support can be secured to a projecting handle; said clamping means also including a flange projecting therefrom which can be hooked into a recessed drawer pull into position behinD an inner face of said recessed drawer pull whereby said support can be reduced to a recessed drawer pull.
 9. The support of claim 8 in which said flange is positioned at one edge of said clamping means; said clamping means having a width from said one edge approximately equal to the length of said supporting arms of a projecting drawer handle whereby said flange abuts the cross piece of said drawer handle when said clamp is secured to a projecting drawer handle and thereby prevents movement of said clamp with respect to said handle.
 10. The support of claim 1 comprising: said suspension means on said support comprising a suspension flange on said bracket for hooking over the top of the drawer head on said bracket; a front face projecting downwardly therefrom and an outwardly projecting securing flange positioned generally adjacent the handle on said drawer; said clamping means comprising a clamp including means cooperating with said securing flange for securing said clamp to said bracket to positively clamp said bracket to said drawer.
 11. The support of claim 10 comprising: said clamping means including spaced channels therein for embracing the support arms of a protruding drawer pull.
 12. The support of claim 11 comprising: said clamping means including a flange positioned in abutment with the cross piece of a projecting pull when said clamping means is secured to a projecting pull; said clamping means adapted to be reversibly secured to said bracket whereby said flange will project into the recess of a recessed drawer handle and engage an inner face thereof so that said support can be used in conjunction with either a recessed handle or a projecting handle.
 13. The support of claim 12 in which said front face includes an aperture therein of such dimensions that said aperture fits generally around a trim piece defining the perimeter of a recessed drawer handle whereby said front face does not interfere with said trim piece when said bracket is secured to a recessed drawer handle.
 14. The support of claim 13 in which said bracket includes an upwardly projecting restraining flange joined to said suspension means at a point behind said drawer head, for engaging an inner member of said desk and prevent movement of said drawer once said bracket is clamped to said handle by said clamping means.
 15. The support of claim 14 in which said attachment means comprises an attachment flange projecting upwardly from said securing flange at a point speced from said front face.
 16. The support of claim 15 in which said attachment flange includes a threaded aperture therein; a bolt mounted in said threaded aperture for clamping against the inside edge of a table and thereby clamping said table against said front face of said bracket.
 17. The support of claim 10 comprising: said clamping means including a flange projecting therefrom which will project into the recess of a recessed drawer handle and engage an inner face thereof whereby said support can be clamped to a recessed drawer handle.
 18. The support of claim 10 in which said support includes an upwardly projecting restraining flange joined to said suspension means at a point behind said drawer head, for engaging an inner member of said desk and prevent movement of said drawer once said support is clamped to said handle by said clamping means. 